Coalition to lay motion to stop dumping of produced water into ocean

Feb 27, 2021 News

Coalition MP, David Patterson

Kaieteur News – Shadow Minister of Oil and Gas, David Patterson, has singled the coalition’s intention of laying a motion to stop the dumping of produced water into the ocean. Patterson shared these and other details during his presentation on the 2021 budget to the National Assembly at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre (ACCC), yesterday.
For the reader’s enlightenment, produced water is a term used in the oil industry to describe water that comes up in a well with the oil and gas and is usually high in salinity. After leaving the well, the produced water is separated from the oil and gas. It can also be referred to as formation water, saltwater, or oilfield brine.
During his presentation, Patterson spoke of a number of environmental infractions committed by ExxonMobil, including its flaring of natural gas and dumping of produced water into the ocean.
“Here again when challenged,” Patterson told the Assembly, “Exxon excuses this unsavory practice by callously misleading the Guyanese public that the World Bank approved of such a practice. This is a blatant misrepresentation on the World Bank guidance on this practice.”
According to the former Public Infrastructure Minister, the World Bank had recommended that the injection of the produced water must be the first option and water dumping must only be reconsidered if reinjection is not financially or technically feasible.
“There is no question, not even by Exxon, that the reinjection is both technically and financially feasible,” he pointed out.
Moreover, Patterson indicated that while it cannot be attributed to an emerging oil and gas sector, Guyana’s local fisher folk have been reporting reduced catches, from both the small and commercial companies.
“It is an issue which requires the input of this Parliament,” Patterson mentioned, “With that sir, I am putting the Parliament on notice, we intend to bring a notion on water dumping shortly to ensure that it is analyzed and that the facts come to life.”